It's an intriguing, creepy, small-town horror with an old train tunnel that seems to be linked with murders and unnatural occurrences. It was confusing to me at first because of the many characters' perspectives and the before and after kind of approach but in the end, I thought I really enjoyed reading it because of the overall eeriness. Also, the ending seems to be abrupt, hopefully a second book would come.

Mister Lullaby by J.H. Markert
Pub Date 11/21/23
⭐⭐⭐

For fans of Insidious or Nightmare on Elm Street, Mister Lullaby is a unique take on a disturbing nightmare. Mister Lullaby is a nightmare you don't want to follow you home.

Sully Dupree, a local boy from the small town of Harrod's Reach becomes injured and slips in a coma after playing in an old train tunnel, The townspeople makes the decision to close the tunnel off for good before anyone else gets hurt. But when two bodies are found in front of the tunnel with lullabies attached to them and Sully briefly awakens screaming. "Run" everything changes. Sully and other coma patients around the world are trapped in Lalaland, a world filled with evil and nightmarish creatures that are trying to enter the real world. While hundreds of coma patients are working to keep them at bay, another man who hears Mister Lullabies voice is already working hard to kill as many "dead heads" as quickly as possible. Wake up because Mister Lullaby is coming.

J.H. Markert spins a fascinating tale full of terrifying characters that will make you want to stay awake. I enjoyed the storyline and how the pieces all came together. However I felt the ending was rushed and too many questions were left unanswered.

This book was quite the ride. It was a slowwwww burn and had a lot of strings but they all tied together pretty nicely in the end. I was very confused in the beginning not gonna lie, but that was part of why I kept reading.

I did think the end kind of fell off. I would’ve liked a little more out of the ending. What happened to all the coma patients??? And all the mares and animals?? I have questions.

This book could definitely be a movie, the suspense and mystery would keep your attention!
The storyline is built around a tunnel in Harrod’s Reach, closed off but holding its secrets.
The townsfolk and main characters are desperate to solve the unexplained deaths, strange occurrences and to bridge the gap between the living and world of nightmares.
Life in the village takes a turn for the worse when the tunnel is reopened, the battle is on to find answers.
There’s a lot going on and with all of the characters it can seem chaotic. As the story develops it’s easier to follow each character’s purpose and the tension continues to build.
The author is extremely talented in nightmarish creatures and situations, creepy and haunting! I wonder if we’ll see any of these characters again?

Thank you to Crooked Lane Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you @netgalley @crookedlanebooks for the #gifted copy of this book!

Hush little baby, don’t say a word, mamas gonna buy you a mockingbird.🎶 All aboard the Lullaby Express! 😱

If you’re looking for a book to scare the pants off of you, keep you up at night, make you hide in a closet or never sing a lullaby again this book is for you! This is my second book by this author and I liked this scary tale more than the first. But for real though this book is what nightmares are made of. This would be the perfect October scary movie! Quite frankly it felt like I was watching an old school Stephen King movie. 😱

This premise of this book is Mister Lullaby has the ability to bring alive people’s worst nightmares and make them come to life. It starts off with an old abandoned train tunnel where two corpses are found dead with lullaby’s pinned to their bodies. This is the same site where a young girl ends up in a coma after trying to run through the tunnel. Almost a dare of sorts to make it from one side to the other but not everyone makes it out the other side. 😳 Sally wakes briefly but seems to be stuck with hundreds of others in a coma after coming into contact with Mr. Lullaby. The police aren’t sure what or who to believe. Are the town superstitions really real?

As I mentioned above, this book is not for the faint of heart. If you love scary movies make sure to grab a copy of this one!

Mr. Lullaby takes the mystery and unanswered questions surrounding sleep and comas and twists them inside out, creating a terrifying land filled with monsters, evil, and horror. I did, however, find the ending rather disappointing after all the build up around Mr. Lullaby. The big bad was easily defeated in the end and the story ubruptly ends leaving me feeling lost.

This book is like the love child of Black River Orchard and the Pine Deep Trilogy. The relationship between Beth, Jax, and Gideon also reminded me a lot of Under the Dome. Overall, this story was incredible. I loved the characters and the unique blend of horror and dark fantasy. I imagine this one will stick with me for a while! It’s easily set up for a sequel, but can be left as it is as well. If there is a sequel, I’ll be first in line to get it with any other books this author writes!

Huge thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

First, I want to say that I found this to be inventive and creative as well as subtly creepy. I didn't find it overly scary, but there was still a chill factor.

That being said, it took me forever to get into this one and I had to start several times. There's so much going on with characters and timelines that it's a bit hard to follow unless you have the time to sit there and read straight through, which is what I wound up needing to do.

I will admit the beginning was a little confusing for me. We are following 2 separate timelines and although it was clear which timeline I was in, it wasn't clear what they had to do with each other. It wasn't until about the halfway point that I began to see what was happening. Eventually both timelines converge and then the book was at its best. I loved the last 40-45% of the book. My main complaint is that the ending was too abrupt. I need more closure.

Lalaland is an amazing invention. It sounds both beautiful and scary. Like it might be a fun place to visit but not to live there.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved J. H. Markert's debut The Nightmare Man. So when I got an email from Netgalley asking if I wanted to read his newest novel, Mister Lullaby, I was ecstatic! Unfortunately this one wasn't as big of a hit with me as the first one.

In the small town of Herald's Reach there is an old railway tunnel where, for over a century, horrible things have happened in and around the tunnel. People have gone missing. People have died. And some people, like Sully Dupree, have ended up in a coma. 3 years into his coma, Sully's older brother Gideon returns from war. And at the same time, the stones built to block off the tunnel start to fall, and more bodied start to show up.

In a story where dreams and nightmares start to mix with the real world, the citizens of Herald's Reach are at a loss. Is Sully fighting in another world to keep everyone safe? Or is a deranged copy cat killer on the loose?

Honestly it's so hard to even sum up a synopsis cause there is just so much involved in this story. It took at least 100 pages to keep the immense amount of characters straight. And maybe it's me, cause I watch a lot of horror, but I actually didn't find this scary. Gory? Yes. Scary? Not so much.
So my 3 stars reflect an startlingly abrupt ending and how long it took me to get things/ people straight.

I loved the premise. I loved the word building and the very clear descriptions of Lalaland (when you dream.) I will absolutely read everything from J H Markert and am thrilled he weaved The Nightmare man into this story so he can hopefully write other stand alones within the same universe.

Satisfyingly scary.. read with the lights on. A great horror book. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher.

Let me start out by saying that Mister Lullaby is one terrifying read, especially in its second half.

Located in the fictional town of Harrod’s Reach, an abandoned railway tunnel has periodically created havoc and associated bizarre deaths over many years. It’s where a young comatose victim lives in a vegetative state after an accident in the tunnel. It’s really difficult for me to further summarize the story without giving plot developments away. The author did an excellent job in ratcheting up the suspense, and his portrayal of the main villain, a true monster of the human variety (oh there are the nonhuman monsters also) was quite well done. My only complaint is that the novel just sort of abruptly ends, making me wonder as to whether or not there may be a sequel in the works, but it did mildly ruin my reading.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 21, 2023
“Mister Lullaby” by J.H. Markert is the pseudo-sequel to his novel, “The Nightmare Man”, in that there is a connection between the two plots, but both novels can be read completely as stand-alones. The characters in both novels are different, as are the settings, so a reader won’t be completely confused reading each one individually, although I highly suggest both novels, especially for fans of Stephen King.
Since the tunnel in Harrod’s Reach was built, the small town has suffered significant loss, and although the macabre happenings slowed down once the tunnel was bricked over and closed off, something inside did not want to stay hidden. Now, the tunnel has once again re-opened, and grisly happenings are once again occurring. Citizens are dying, while others are behaving strangely, and it seems that only Simple Simon, the young man the town has identified as the “village idiot” and a group of civilians are able to save their town. A battle is being waged on both the land of the living and the land where nightmares come from, and only side will survive.
“Lullaby” has a large group of characters, and most of them narrate a portion of the novel. Although the speaker is clearly identified at the beginning of each chapter, the wide array of protagonists can hard to sort through at first. As Markert’s characters develop and began to develop their own individual personalities, the plot flows easier and the gripping tension begins (and doesn’t let up).
Like King’s “The Stand”, a group of selected individuals must band together, meeting in a place only seen in dreams, in order to help humanity and to keep a collection of nightmarish figures away. Markert’s evil creatures are literally the stuff of nightmares, from a woman who calls herself “The Black Widow”, a man with the horrifying moniker of “Fire Starting Freddie”, to Teddy, the leader with reindeer-like horns growing out of his head- not to mention the eerie personifications of the mythological creatures from various countries who haunt dreams and steal souls. No one will sleep easily after experiencing “Mr. Lullaby”.
I loved “The Nightmare Man” and “Mr. Lullaby” was a solid follow-up. Both novels were equally creepy, and, although the ending of “Lullaby” was conclusive, Markert ensures that some of his characters (both good and evil) will reappear again in future instalments. I hope to see more from Markert and from his deliciously horrible sleep-robbing beings!

Mister Lullaby is set in a small town of Harrod’s Reach where strange things occur inside an abandon train tunnel. Sully Dupree, a 6 year old coma patient briefly wakes with a warning about Lalaland and things trying to get through.

I loved the mix of human monsters and the introduction of mares with interesting bite-sized information about them. Well-paced story with unique plot and world building and *just the right amount of gore*.

While there are references to The Nightmare Man, this is a wholly different story, with more action, more mythological creatures, and more serial killers! I highly recommend you pick this up!!

I really expected to like this book a lot more than I did based on the synopsis. I love a good horror novel, always have, and this one was certainly creepy and unique in its premise, with great descriptive skills when it came to the tunnel and Lalaland. The character development was well done too. However, it took me a long time to get into the story, and it never had me on the edge of my seat which a great horror story always does, and the ending was a major disappointment for me. i don't mind a book that leaves me thinking, in fact I really like that, but this ending was the biggest anti-climax ever.

This book has it all for spooky season; creepy af, gore, and nightmares come to life. From the start Mister Lullaby brings the creepy and doesn’t stop until the end. I loved all the nightmares and folklore that was brought in throughout the book and brought to life, it was really cool to learn about other folklore that you normally may not know about. I enjoyed all the multiple POVs and how the Then and Now timeline came together seamlessly. I really hope there’s going to be a second book because that ending just what?!

Overall, I so loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loved The Book of Accidents or anything creepy and spooky.

After fighting in Afghanistan, Gideon Dupree returns to home a hero. With an underserved, to his mind, Purple Heart in his bag and a pronounced limp, the last thing Gideon wants is a hero’s welcome, but his mother has other ideas.

This is the introduction to the folk of Harrod’s Reach. A town with more than its fair share of mysteries and unexplained happenings, but nothing can prepare the residents for the arrival of Mr Lullaby

I loved this book, as I did the Nightmare Man. The writing has touches of Lovelace, Poe, King and Malfi, amongst others, a real treat for horror lovers. Not afraid to go dark and deep, Markert has set the bar for new horror stories and it’s pretty high!

The characters were really well written. Especially fond of Simon, a gem, reminiscent of King’s Tom Cullen.

I always admire a writer who is not afraid to kill off a main character if it’s good for the plot, and this author has no qualms at all of who must go!

For me this writing is excellent, an author who knows his craft, full of suspense, a joy to read.

p.s. great cover!

Thank you NetGalley.

There is an old abandoned train tunnel in the town of Harrods Reach. It's been nothing but a problem for the town over the years. After multiple people disappeared or were injured inside its walls, it was eventually sealed shut.
But now, the walls are crumbling, and something has awoken in the tunnel. Something is trying to find its way out. Mister Lullaby is coming.

This book is ALOT, a lot of characters, a lot of storylines, a lot of twists, and a lot of pages.. but somehow, J.H. Market still manages to present it in a way that is both palatable and enjoyable. Mister Lullaby is never dull or boring, but just might give you nightmares!

I actually read this book first and then read The Nightmare Man. They can definitely be read alone or in whichever order you choose. But there is a bit of overlap with the world's and some of its characters, so I recommend reading both.

I was originally drawn to Mister Lullaby because of its cover, which, while simple, was equally creepy and gave me serious King vibes. And it did not disappoint! If you're looking for your next spooky read, look no further than Mister Lullaby... just maybe keep the lights on 😉

As always, thank you to netgalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for this ARC.
Are you following the bus? Are you a fan past and present lore? This book will definitely not disappoint. It had me smiling and engaged as I enjoyed each word and new page of information. This is a small town Lovecraft, King feel. You’ll get to the end and will surely want to know more. Have fun with this read. I did.
I just reviewed Mister Lullaby by J. H. Markert. #MisterLullaby #NetGalley

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!! I have had nightmare man on my TBR forever! While there is a slight connection, it is not a prerequisite. This was definitely a creepy book. Small town horror. Including almost every aspect a horror reader would love. I’m excited to pick up Markert’s other works!